Your student is quickly approaching that all-important decision in her life: where to go to college. You’ve looked toward this event with excitement and dread, wondering how difficult it will be to choose the ‘right’ school and whether you will be able to afford it. While money should be an important component in all college choices, it doesn’t need to be the only one.
Don’t believe college sticker prices
Most parents are shocked when I tell them to ignore the college sticker price printed in the book, catalog, or college info site. Why do they “say” it costs X amount of dollars and not charge what the printed price states? It’s simple: while most can’t pay the price, some can and will. It’s the same with any commodity: houses, cars, airfare, vacations, and more. They post a price because some will pay that price; others who can’t will search for the bargain. Enter the college admissions process with the mind of a bargain hunter. You’ll be pleasantly surprised what you will eventually pay.
Since money shouldn’t be the only determining factor in college choice. How do you choose between public, private or two-year colleges and trade schools?
Higher education choices
Public vs Private
Private universities and colleges tend to have higher prices than public ones. However, they also offer more grants and scholarships contributed by alumni donors. Public institutions tend to have larger student bodies, larger class sizes, and less housing availability. Most families choose public colleges and universities based on proximity to home (or state funded aid). It’s all a matter of preference, but in this case price is usually the determining factor.
2-year vs 4-year
Community college is a good choice if your student needs to save money, wants to stay close to home for the first few years, or simply wants to graduate in just two years with an Associates degree in a specialized trade. Many students opt to attend community college and get the basics out of the way then transfer to a 4-year college for their last two years.
Colleges vs Universities
What is the difference between a college and university? It can be really confusing, but often has to do with size and what a school offers. The College Admission Book acknowledges the confusion, stating, “Denison University, Bucknell University, and Ohio Wesleyan University are all liberal arts colleges. Dartmouth College, College of William and Mary, and Boston College are all research universities. “ Bottom line, there is a lot of overlap so do your homework.
College vs trade school
If your student wants to pursue education beyond high school (and they should), and college doesn’t appeal to them, trade school could be a better choice. There are many trade schools that prepare students for lucrative careers after graduation.
Other criteria to consider
i- The collegiate experience
Class sizes, professor accessibility, Greek life, sports and even specialized training like trading rooms and product development labs should be added to your student’s college list of “must haves” if these are important factors in their choice. Colleges with strong alumni networks and mentoring should also be factored in to the decision process. All of these might not be important to your student, but for some they are determining factors.
ii- Religious affiliations
Some colleges and universities have religious affiliations. So if it’s important to you and your student that they continue to receive religious instruction. One that caters to your religion may be in order. On the other hand, you’ll almost certainly want to make sure that your choice is based primarily on the academic features the school has to offer since the main goal of attending college is to earn a degree that leads to a fruitful career. All the same, many families are drawn to colleges that offer a religious aspect. And this could definitely play a role in the university to which you opt to send your child.
iii- Academic programs
Of course, you’ll also have to consider which universities offer the most highly rated programs for the type of career your student is interested in, and you might be surprised to learn that in some cases the public institutions beat out their private counterparts. You should also keep in mind that some schools have clout or connections within specific industries, which means they’re better equipped to offer internships, job opportunities, and even job placement in some cases. For instance, Texas A&M University is infamous for their engineering network and the fact that alumni Aggies tend to hire Aggie graduates. Checking these stats ahead of time could help you to determine not only which type of university is better for your student, but which schools, in particular, are preferable.
iv- Career paths
If your student is leaning toward a career path that doesn’t require a traditional college education, like culinary school for example, these trade-specific schools could be a wiser choice. Parents lean toward the traditional routes of higher education, but for some students, it is not the best path. Use the same criteria used for comparing colleges: price, program availability, internships, job placement after graduation, and quality of instruction.
